Durable High-Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells Enabled by the Working-Temperature-Matching...

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Durability degradation significantly impacts fuel cell lifetime and performance.
• High-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs) face challenges with rapid potential rise and performance decline.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel anode design for HT-PEMFCs to enhance durability and performance.
• To investigate the role of palladium (Pd) in managing hydrogen and oxygen within the anode.

Main Methods:

• Designing a Pd-based anode to synchronize with HT-PEMFC operating temperatures and hydrogen release from palladium.
• Evaluating the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) activity and performance of the Pd anode.
• Assessing the durability improvements of Pd/C anodes compared to traditional Pt/C anodes under various operating conditions.

Main Results:

• The proposed Pd anode exhibits significantly enhanced hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) activity.
• Pd functions as a hydrogen buffer and oxygen absorbent, maintaining HOR during fuel starvation and suppressing reverse-current degradation.
• Pd/C anodes demonstrate superior durability in HT-PEMFCs during start-up/shut-down cycles and current mutations compared to Pt/C anodes.

Conclusions:

• The Pd anode design effectively alleviates potential rise and performance degradation in HT-PEMFCs.
• Palladium's ability to store and release hydrogen offers a new strategy for improving PEMFC durability.
• This approach provides innovative guidance for enhancing the longevity and performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells.